1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a strip-shaped screw magazine including a plurality of arranged one after another, chambers for receiving each a screw.
2. Description of the Prior Art
German Publication DE 296 19 321 discloses a strip-shaped screw magazine formed of a strip-shaped carrier having a plurality of spaced from each other, in the longitudinal direction of the magazine, chambers for receiving screws. Each of the receiving chambers has a bore for receiving the screw stem, and the diameter of which corresponds to the screw stem diameter. A plurality of elongate slots, which are uniformly distributed over the bore circumference, extend from the bore in the radial direction. The slots divide a portion of the strip surrounding the bore in four, substantially similar formed tongues which are bent elastically outwardly by the screw head when the screw is pushed through the screw magazine.
The drawback of the screw magazine of DE 296 12 321 consists in that the strip is easily elastically deformed in the direction parallel to the screw-in direction of the screws, and in that a substantial force is needed to withdraw a screw from the magazine.
The object of the present invention is to provide a strip-shaped screw magazine having a high stiffness in the direction parallel to the screw-in direction of the screws.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a strip-shaped screw magazine with which screws, which have a large head or which are provided with large-diameter washers or shims, can be withdrawn from the magazine, simply, easily and quickly.
These and other objects of the present invention, which will become apparent hereinafter, are achieved by providing a strip-shaped screw magazine including two, spaced from each other, side walls extending in a direction parallel to a longitudinal extent of the screw magazine, a plurality of spaced from each other connection webs extending between the two side walls transverse to the longitudinal extent of the screw magazine and defining a plurality of substantially square chambers for receiving each a screw, a sleeve for receiving a stem of the screw and arranged centrally in each of the receiving chambers, with the receiving sleeve having at least two break points, and at least two support arms uniformly arranged on a circumference of the receiving sleeve for connecting the receiving sleeve with the side walls or respective connection webs.
The side walls serve for absorbing pressure forces which act on the magazine when screws are withdrawn. The side wall have a substantially rectangular cross-section, with longitudinal sides of the cross-section extending parallel to the central axis of the receiving chamber. With a square-shaped chamber, the distance between the side walls and between the connection webs is larger than the largest diameter of the screw head or of a packing washer or a shim. Due to the break points provided on the receiving sleeve, which is arranged centrally in the receiving chamber, each sleeve can be separated from adjacent sleeves, which are likewise provided with break points, when a force is applied thereto, upon withdrawal of a screw, in the direction parallel to the longitudinal axis of the receiving chamber. The sleeve can have two, three or four break points. Each section of the sleeve can be connected with a support arm that is elastically bent by the screw head or by the washer or shim in the same direction in which a force acts on the receiving sleeve. It is possible to connect each sleeve section with two support arms.
In order to be able to easily bend off the support arms when the sleeve is broken often, the support arms should have a predetermined minimal length. The minimal length is provided when, preferably, each support arm is arranged diagonally and is connected with a corner of the receiving chamber. The diagonal arrangement of support arms provides for an increased free space for passage of the screw head or washer or shim with which a screw can be provided.
A stable guidance of a screw in the receiving chamber is achieved when the height of the receiving sleeve, which is measured in a direction parallel to a central axis of the receiving chamber corresponds at least to the thickness of a support arm likewise measured in the direction parallel to the central axis of the receiving chamber.
For manufacturing reasons, the height of each connection web, which is measured in the direction parallel to a central axis of the receiving chamber, corresponds at least to the thickness of a support arm likewise measured in the direction parallel to the central axis of the receiving chamber, and a height of each connection web, which is measured in a direction parallel to a central axis of the receiving chamber, corresponds at most to a height of a side wall likewise measured in the direction parallel to the axis of the receiving chamber.
A uniform deflection of the screw magazine, at the constant force application in two opposite directions, is advantageously achieved when the connection webs are centrally arranged with respect to the height of the side walls.
A screw magazine with a substantially U-shaped profile is obtained when the connection webs are connected with the side walls in the region of the longitudinal edges of the side walls.
For transporting the screw magazine, at least one longitudinal edge of at least one side wall is provided with a plurality of transporting notches.
An easy deflection of the screw magazine is achieved when both side walls are provided in the region of their edges in the region of the connection webs with an indentation.
Additional bearing or guide surfaces, which face in the drive-in direction of the screws, are formed by side flanges which adjoin the longitudinal edges of the side walls which are provided with indentations. The flanges can be shaped as strips cut in the region of respective indentations.
The side walls, the connection webs, and the support arms have substantially a rectangular cross-section. However, the connection webs and the support arms, in particular, can have a circular cross-section.
The support arms can so be formed that they break off or deflect when a screw is withdrawn from the screw magazine.
The novel features of the present invention, which are considered as characteristic for the invention, are set forth in the appended claims. The invention itself, however, both as to its construction and its mode of operation, together with additional advantages and objects thereof, will be best understood from the following detailed description of preferred embodiments, when read with reference to the accompanying drawings.